Effect of Lap Splices on Flexural Resistance and Cyclic Deformation Capacity of RC Members

Short lap splices in vertical members are a typical and critical deficiency in existing structures in seismic zones, especially when the splice is located at the bottom end of the member, i. e., in the plastic hinge region. Wrapping the lap-splice region of the member with fibre-reinforced-polymers (FRP) is becoming the method of choice for remedying this deficiency. Test results from the international literature are used in the paper to develop simple rules for the calculation of the flexural resistance and of the yielding or ultimate deformations of concrete members of various cross-sectional shapes, as these affected by short lap-splicing in the plastic hinge region and by FRP wrapping of the length of the member with deficient lapping.